Elite navy soldiers, sailors honored for covert ops in enemy territories
IDF says the actions of the servicemen ‘directly contributed to the security of the state’
Israel’s navy on Wednesday awarded certificates to soldiers and sailors from elite units in appreciation of their participation in clandestine military operations in enemy territory.
The citations were also given to mark what the IDF termed “intelligence successes.” No details were given on any of the operations.
Commandos from the elite Shayetet 13 unit, sailors from the 916 patrol boat unit, and soldiers from other unnamed units received their awards from Maj. Gen. Eli Sharvit, commander of the navy.
“The long line of operations for which you are receiving certificates of appreciation expresses in practice the necessity of implementing this unique operational activity,” he said.
The IDF said in a statement the soldiers had been given the awards for “a series of secret operations in enemy territory and intelligence successes.”
The statement continued: “This is a complex and significant sequence of operations designed to maintain the superiority of the State of Israel at sea, against the strengthening of our enemies, and directly contributed to the security of the state.”
Shayetet 13 commandos specialize in sea-to-land operations, counter-terrorism activities and hostage scenarios.
In March, sailors from Unit 916 were part of the operation to thwart a terror plot by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group to sink an Israeli naval patrol boat off the coast of Gaza and kidnap any survivors.
